8 days in Samui and Koh Tao: dive itinerary
Land USM or boat from Donsak, then hop Lomprayah to Mae Haad. Pay the 20 THB arrival fee and budget 200 to 350 THB a day if you already ride and still want a scooter.
Open Water on Koh Tao is why this week lands USM first. Fly Bangkok to Koh Samui. Sleep three nights using Samui where to stay. Optional Ang Thong at 300 THB if you are not diving the next dawn.
Boat toward Mae Haad. Sleep four nights using Tao where to stay on Sairee. Read dive sites. Many tickets add a 20 THB pier fee. Lomprayah Samui to Phangan is about 30 minutes; Tao is a second hop. Keep Phuket off this page. Dive context sits on diving.
Day by day
1 Land USM
No dive. Sleep Bophut or Chaweng. Confirm the shop email.
2 Beach or Ang Thong
300 THB park if you want a boat day before classrooms.
3 Samui buffer
Pack. Read the pier name on the Tao ticket.
4 Boat to Tao
Mae Haad. Sleep Sairee. Pool session if the shop starts late.
5 Open Water classroom
Confined water. Early night.
6 First sea dives
Named sites from the shop board. 20 THB pier fee if listed.
7 Certification dives
Logbook photos. Sairee dinner.
8 Exit via USM or Chumphon
Do not book a same-hour flight after the last dive.
Airport island, then four Sairee nights
Phangan is a transfer, not a party add, on this page. For a three-island backpacker hop use 14 days backpacker Gulf.
| Block | Sleep | Move |
|---|---|---|
| Nights 1 to 3 | Samui | USM; optional Ang Thong 300 THB |
| Nights 4 to 7 | Sairee, Koh Tao | Boat via Phangan; pier fee often 20 THB |
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Search flights Chiang Mai to HanoiCommon questions
- Can you certify in four Tao nights?
- Yes if you arrive with e-learning done and seas are calm. Shops still add a weather day.
- Chumphon instead of USM?
- CJM plus a boat is the budget path. USM is the short airport.
- Dive after the last morning?
- No. Build a no-fly gap before a cabin-pressure hop.